Tracking truck



H. B. WEBER TRACKING TRUCK Nov. 22, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept; 3, 1963 Y INVENTOR. fl/l/vs 5. W555? H. B. WEBER TRACKING TRUCK Nov. 22, 1966 Filed Sept. 5, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. /7A/v5 5 Vl BfR United States Patent 3,286,653 TRACKING TRUCK Hans B. Weber, Redford, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Midland-Ross Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Sept. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 306,!)06 12 Claims. (Cl. 105-165) This invention relates to railway cars and more particularly to a lightweight railway truck of the two-wheel pedestal type employing a novel supporting and snubbing arrangement for a car wheel and axle assembly.

In the design of a two-wheel railway truck, lateral clearance is usually provided between the journal saddle and pedestal frame in an attempt to obtain good lateral riding characteristics. Such clearance permits relative lateral motion, i.e., motion transversely of the car length, between the journal saddle and pedestal frame.

Heretofore, considerable difficulty has been experienced in providing sufiicient lateral clearance between the pedestal frame and the associated journal saddle whenever helical coil springs are employed for load support. The necessity for this requirement arises from the fact that lateral forces may be of such magnitude that, when transmitted to the car body, they cause either derailment or excessive lading damage. Further, such unwanted forces cause excessive wear on the rails, rail wheels, and component truck parts.

Prior to the subject invention, the design of the pedestal frame and journal saddle in a two-Wheel railway truck permitted only limited lateral swing of the car body relative to the axle journal when swing hangers were not employed. Further, these prior art designs also permitted uncontrolled movement of the journal relative to the pedestal in the lengthwise direction of the car, i.e., under certain track and operating conditions, the axle was subject to uncontrolled pivoting or oscillation around an imaginary vertical axis through the axle.

Lateral movement of a wheel and axle assembly is primarily due to the conical wheel treads. As the wheel and axle assembly travels in a longitudinal direction, the assembly traverses a sinusoidal curve, commonly known as nosing. This has the effect of causing the fore and aft ends of the car to sway and/or the car body as a whole to shift laterally from side to side. Furthermore, lateral movement of the wheel and axle assembly and the car body is increased by the amount of elastic displacement of the rail caused by the impact of the wheel flange against the rail. In addition to the sinusoidal pattern of motion, further lateral motion is caused by the lateral irregularities of the track. Thus, the wheel and axle assembly is thrust laterally back-and-forth as well as in the columnto-column direction as the car body travels in the longitudinal direction.

Thus, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a two-wheel railway truck having self-centering controlled lateral movement of the wheel and axle assembly and the saddle relative to the pedestal frame.

It is another object to provide a two-wheel railway truck having increased and controlled resistance to movement of the saddle from one column toward the other in both of its pedestals.

A further object is to provide a two-wheel railway truck having angular motion capability of the axle and saddle assembly relative to the pedestal frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide snubbing mechanism which not only provides a substantial constant frictional force for controlling vertical movement of the railway car, but also provides a dampening effect to the lateral movement of the saddle relative to the pedestal.

The above objects and others apparent hereinbelow "ice are fulfilled in a two-wheel railway truck comprising a wheel and axle assembly and two side frame units. The side frame comprises an upper member or pedestal which has longitudinally spaced hollow pedestal legs or guide columns which receive a frictional mechanism for dampening the vertical and lateral oscilaltions of the railway car. The pedestal is affixed to the underframe of a railway car and seats on the top of two groups of load springs longitudinally spaced outward from the pedestal legs in opposite directions. The springs are supported on a journal saddle having forward and aft portions spaced in the longitudinal direction forward and rearward from the axle journal and extending in a horizontal plane spaced below the plane containing the horizontal axle of the journal.

In the drawings, with respect to which the invention is described below:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the two-wheel railway truck in accordance with the invention as mounted on a railway car.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation, with certain parts removed, of the truck shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary end elevation of the truck illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the truck shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view in transverse sec tion, with certain parts deleted, taken along line 5-5 of the truck shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view in transverse section, with certain parts deleted, taken along line 66 of the truck shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is an elevation in transverse section taken along line 7-7 of the truck shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is an elevation in transverse section taken along line 8-8 of the truck shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 is an elevation corresponding to that shown in FIG. 7, but illustrating the position assumed by the saddle relative to the pedestal as a result of lateral movement.

FIG. 10 is an elevation in transverse section taken along line Ill-10 of the truck shown in FIG. 4, but illustrating the position assumed by the helical coil springs as a result of the lateral movement.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 a portion of a two-wheel railway truck 1 rigidly secured, as by welding, to a fabricated steel car underframe 2. The two-wheel railway truck 1 comprises a wheel and axle assembly 3 and two side frame units 4. The side frame 4 has a cast pedestal frame 10 disposed with its length in generally parallel alignment with that of the underframe 2. The pedestal frame 10 is of boxlike construction and has a top wall 8 engaging the car underframe, an inboard side wall 11 :and an outboard side wall 12. The side walls are structurally connected by intermediate members hereinafter described. The pedestal frame 10 has an upper box-like body portion and longitudinally spaced hollow guiding columns or pedestal legs 13, 13 co-depending from the body portion and defining therebetween a pedestal opening 14.

The pedestal opening 14 is defined by a top wall 15 and oppositely facing vertical guide walls 16 and 17, respectively, as hereinafter described. Extending longitudinally in opposite directions from the pedestal columns 13, 13 in a horizontal plane, the frame is further provided with two bottom walls 18, 18, connecting the guide walls 16 and 17 and end walls 19 and 20, respectively, and forming therewith rectangular pockets 21, 21 having downwardly facing surfaces 22, 22.

The pedestal opening 14 hereinabove mentioned receive-s a journal housing 25 of an inverted T-shaped journal saddle 26 hereinafter described. Cooperating wih the journal housing 25 is a wheel 27 of the wheel and axle assembly 3 mounted on one end of an axle. The end of the axle or axle journal (not shown) is preferably received in an antifriction roller bearing unit 29 having disposed thereon an axle housing adapter 30 located within the journal housing 25 of the saddle.

Each hollow pedestal column 13 is provided with a friction unit 33 that is housed in a wedge chamber 34 formed by the side walls 11 and 12 and an inclined wall 35 sloping upwardly from the distal free end of the pedestal column and outwardly from the pedestal opening 14. The inclined wall integrally connects the inboard and outboard side walls 11 and 12 of the frame and is provided with a raised wedge surface or pad 36 for frictional engagement with a wedge-shaped friction shoe 37. The guide wall 16 of the pedestal column has a cored-out section providing a rectangular shaped opening 38 connecting the wedge chamber 34 and the pedestal opening 14.

The shoe 37 comprises a sloping wedge surface 40 in complementary engagement with the surface 36 on the bottom wall 35. In addition, the shoe also has a vertical wedge surface 41 in complementary engagement with a vertical wear plate 42 which is structurally associated with the journal housing 25 of the inverted T-shaped saddle 26.

The shoe 37 is urged downwardly into engagement with the plate 42 and wall 35 by means of a spring 43. The lower end of the spring is maintained in a proper alignment with the shoe by means, such as a recessed portion 44 defining a spring seat in the upper end thereof. The upper end of the spring bears against -a seat 45 provided on a connecting wall 46. The wall is disposed above and substantially parallel to the spring seat provided on the shoe and extends downwardly and outwardly from the top portion of the guide wall 16 toward the pocket 21. A boss 47 is arranged on the wall to maintain the spring in proper fixed alignment. Preferably, the shoe in cooperation with the wear plate has a normal center line of horizontal thrust spaced above the plane containing the horizontal axis of the journal.

A conventional horizontal hole 48 in the shoe 37 is provided for the insertion of a tool (not shown) through a core hole 49 in the pedestal frame 10. Thus, the shoe may be retracted from its normal position away from the wear plate against the resistance of the spring during assembly and dis-assembly of the journal saddle and pedestal frame.

The inverted T-shaped journal saddle 26 comprises a longitudinally extending base 55 of box-like construction and the centrally located journal housing 25. The base 55 has fore and aft portions or arms 56 and 57, respectively. The arms 56 and 57 extend outwardly from the housing 25 in a horizontal plane. The overall longitudinal length of the saddle 26 corresponds substantially to that of the pedestal frame 10.

The arms 56 and 57 of the saddle have a connecting inboard side wall 58 and an outboard sidewall 59. Each arm has an end wall 60 and 61. A curved bottom wall 62 structurally connects the inboard side wall 58 and the outboard side wall 59. Extending longitudinally inward from the distal free end of each arm, in a horizontal plane, the saddle has two top walls 63, 63 disposed intermediate the vertical ends of the side walls. Each top wall 63 terminates inwardly with an upwardly projecting flange 64, longitudinally spaced from the journal housing 25, to form a rectangular pocket 65, 65 having an upwardly facing surface 66, 66. The pockets 65, 65 are in opposed subjacent spaced relation to the inverted pockets 21, 21 on the pedestal frame 10. Adjacent to each pocket 65, 65, and the centrally located journal housing 25, the saddle has a pair of longitudinally spaced openings 66, 66 intermediate the inboard wall 58 and the outboard wall 59. Openings 66, 66 receive the distal free ends of the pedestal columns 13, 13 when the railway car and the attached pedestal frame oscillate in the vertical direction.

The bottom wall 62 of the saddle 26 is of continuous length and contains three cored-out apertures 70, 71, and 72, respectively. The aperture 70 is disposed centrally of the saddle and functions as a drainage and assembly opening. The other two apertures 71 and 72 are arranged at the longitudinal distal ends of the arms and are provided for assembly purposes. Intermediate the distal ends of the base, strengthening ribs are provided.

Preferably attached on the inboard side wall of each arm, near the distal free-end of each arm, is a unit type brake beam housing 73.

The upwardly extending journal housing 25 comprises a top wall 75 and a bottom wall 76 structurally united by spaced apart, vertically extending walls 77, 77 defining a region extending in its lengthwise direction crosswise of the side frame. Such region ordinarily receives the adapter 36 and the journal bearing assembly 29. Strengthening ribs reinforce the vertical housing walls '77 and the bottom wall 76 within the journal housing. A cored-out aperture 78 is provided centrally of the bottom wall 76 in coaxial alignment with the aperture 70 in the bottom wall 62 of the base 55. Each of the walls 77 have disposed on their longitudinally outwardly facing surfaces a pair of parallel, horizontally extending and vertically spaced wear plate retaining lugs 79 and 80.

Situated between each pair of retaining lugs 79 and 80 there is disposed the friction wear plate 42 hereinabove mentioned which is secured, as by welding, to the outwardly facing surfaces of the longitudinal end wall. In addition, each of the walls 77 has disposed on its oppositely facing inner surface within the journal housing, in close proximity to the top wall an adapter retaining lug 81. The lugs 81, 81 project horizontally into complementary recesses 82, 82 of the adapter 30. This arrangement permits relative pivotal movement between the adapter bearing assembly and the saddle about a horizontal axis extending lengthwise of the side frame through the lugs 81, 81 and the recesses 82., 82 for a purpose further explained below. The axis in question is above the journal axis and, in the present embodiment, generally tangential to the axle journal.

In positioning the journal of the assembly 3 in the journal housing 25, the adapter 30 is first positioned within the journal housing with its crown surface in abutting relation with the top wall 75. The axle is, with one of opposite end portions or journals received in the antifriction roller bearing unit 29, then inserted into the lower portion of the journal housing 25. The wheeland-axle assembly is then raised until the position of the assembly as shown in FIG. 4, is obtained. A bearing retaining block 85 having a threaded aperture is then inserted into the housing beneath the anti-friction bearing unit. A retaining bolt 86 in threaded relation with the block with its head in bearing relation with the journal housing, and the pair of housing lugs 81 in re-entrant relation with recesses 82 of the adapter 30, positively secures the wheel and axle assembly within the journal housing.

As best viewed in FIGS. 2, 5, and 8, the journal housing 25 is provided with two pairs of laterally spaced, vertically-extending guiding flanges 87 and 88. The flanges are disposed along the inboard and the outboard peripheral edges of the journal housing walls 77. Each pair of flanges extends outwardly in opposite longitudinal directions and merge at their lower end with the inboard side wall 58 and the outboard side wall 59. In addition, the journal housing 25 has a pair of upper laterally spaced reinforcement walls 89, 89 disposed in the planes of the flanges 37, 88 extending vertically from the inboard and the outboard peripheral edges of the top wall 75. Thus, the wear plate lugs 79 and 80 on the journal housing are situated within vertically extending recesses 90, 90 flanked by the guiding flanges 87, 87 and 88, 88.

Each flange has a lower inward facing vertical planar surface 95. Intermediately along the height of the flanges 87, 88, the surface 95 of each flange merges at its upper extremity with an upwardly and laterally outwardly sloping flat surface 96. The juncture of surfaces 95 and 96 provides a plurality of fulcrum points 97 which are disposed in a horizontal plane spaced below a plane containing the journal axis. Thus, the width of the recess 90 on the journal housing is greater between the opposing surfaces 96, 96 than between the opposing surfaces 95, 95.

As hereinafter described, the surfaces 95 are useful in maintaining the range of lateral movement of the journal housing 25, axle, etc., relative to the pedestal frame to a desired magnitude b fore tilting occurs. The surfaces 96, 96 limit the tilting range of the journal saddle its journal housing, etc., relative to the pedestal frame. Furthermore, it is desirable to have the fulcrum 97 disposed well below the level of the journal axis and the surfaces 95 of the shortest practical height in order that the load springs described herein below, are not subjected to shear forces during saddle tilting which materially shorten their service-life.

As hereinbefore mentioned, the pedestal opening of the frame receives the journal housing of the inverted T-shaped saddle. As best illustrated in FIG. 5, the vertical recesses 90, 90 of the journal housing receive in longitudinal spaced relation of approximately of an inch to the walls 77, 77 the inner guide walls 16 and 17 of the pedestal frame 10 and in lateral spaced relation to the flanges 87 and 88 portions of the inboard and the outboard side walls 11 and 12, respectively. This longitudinal clearance provided between the housing 25- and frame 10 permits longitudinal (column-to-column) and angular motion capibility of the axle and saddle assembly relative to the pedestal frame, which in turn permits proper tracking characteristics and curve negotiation of the railway truck; that is, the axle of the truck has a self-steering ability.

Each pedestal column 13 has a pair of vertically extending ridges 100, 100 disposed on the outwardly facing surfaces of the inboard side wall 11 and the outboard side wall 12, respectively, adjacent the pedestal opening 14. Each ridge 100 has a vertical wear surface 101 in opposed spaced relation to one of the vertical planar surfaces 95 and surface 96 contiguous therewith.

The invention, as dis-closed herein, further comprises a novel load spring grouping 110. As mentioned hereinabove, the pedestal frame 10 is provided with inverted dish-shaped pyockets 21, 21 in supraspaced relation to the dish-shaped pockets 65, 65 on the journal saddle 267 To resiliently support the pedestal frame on the saddle, the downwardiy facing surfaces of the pocket 22, 22 of the frame serve as upper spring support seats for the load spring group 118. Likewise, the upwardly facing surfaces of the pocket 65, 65 of the saddle serve as the lower spring support seats. Preferably, the upper and lower spring seats are equidistantly spaced from the plane containing the horizontal axis of the journal.

Shown in FIG. 4 is a pair of adjacently arranged helical coil load springs 111, 111 interposed between the respective pockets on the frame and saddle. Load springs 111, 111 transfer the load of the car through the frame 10 to the saddle 26, the axle journal bearing 29, and then to the end of the axle. If greater load capacity is needed, an additional smaller spring 112 may be concentrically arranged within the larger springs of the load spring group 110, as shown. To prevent the vertical separation of the saddle 26 from the frame 10, a tie bolt assembly 115, 115 connects the saddle to the frame through a pair of coaxial apertures 116 and 117 extending through the bottom walls 18, 18 of the frame and the top walls 63, 63 of the saddle respectively. Disposed within the pedestal frame 10 on the top of the bottom walls 18, 18, concentric with the apertures 117, 117, there are further provided a pair of bosses 118, 118 having an inner diameter in excess of the apertures 117, 117. Arranged within each boss, there is a lightweight helical spring 119. The spring 119 biases the tie bolt assembly 115 relative to the frame to preclude undue vibrations of the tie bolt.

Since the load springs 111 are disposed in both fore and aft relation, and especially in substantially spaced relation, with respect to the guide columns or pedestal legs 13, 13, very good rotational stability of the saddle about the axle axis is achieved. Further, since the friction mechanism is disposed intermediate the load spring grouping 118 and axle center line, greater resistance to the rotation of the frame relative to the saddle is achieved.

The friction mechanism, in addition to supplying constant friction to control the vertical oscillations of the helical type load springs; restores the axle to the normal position in the longitudinal direction whenever the axle assumes an angle other than in relation to the longitudinal center line of the car during curve negotation or sinusoidal motion.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 9, the mode of obtaining increased lateral movement of the wheel and axle assembly relative to the car body or to the pedestal frame of the truck assembly by the present invention is now to be described. When the wheel and axle assembly 3 and the associated adapter 30 are forced to the left or to the right, the adapter 30 will engage the adapter lugs 81, 81 in the journal housing 25. As a result, the upper portion of the saddle 26 moves laterally as it follows the leftward movement of the wheel and axle assembly until the flange-surfaces 95, abut against the lower portions of the vertical wear surfaces 101. Thereafter, if e.g., further leftward movement of the wheel and axle assembly 3 occurs, the saddle 26 fulcrums on'the points 97 to transfer cont-act of pedestal surfaces 101 from flange surfaces 95 to the contiguous surfaces 96, resulting in a leftward tilt of the upper portion of the saddle 26, as shown in FIG. 9. At the maximum, the saddle is tilted to the left until the entire vertical extent of the surfaces 96 at one side of the saddle abut against the adjacent pedestal surfaces 101. Thus, the saddle may be angularly displaced in either lateral direction relative to the length of the pedestal frame 10.

Tilting of the journal saddle assembly, as it rocks on the crown surface of the adapter, raises the car body as a whole above its normal height. Gravity, as well as the springs 111, urge the pedestal frame and the saddle to a normal vertical alignment and, hence, urge the car body to its normal neutral or centered position. Thus, selfcentering action is incorporated in the two-wheel railway truck and is effected along a horizontal axis extending lengthwise of the side frame through the columns.

FIG. 10 illustrates the near solid condition assumed by the typical load spring 111 in the subject invention when the journal saddle moves to the position as shown in FIG. 9. It will be noted that the bottom of the spring bearing against its respective seat in the journal saddle is only slightly horizontally offset in the lateral direction with relation to the top of the spring bearing against its respective seat on the pedestal frame. Since lateral motion is obtained by tilting the journal saddle in relation to the pedestal frame and not by lateral horizontal displacement alone, the shear and torsional stresses in the helical coil springs are substantially reduced. As a result, the life of the springs is substantially increased. Further, the load springs, having assumed the position as shown in FIG. 10, function in such a manner as to restore the tilted journal saddle to its normal operative position, thereby augmenting the self-centering action of the journal saddle due to gravity. Thus, not only do the load springs urge the saddle when laterally displaced to a neutr al position relative to the pedestal frame; but also, they urge the saddle into proper angular position relative to 7 the axle axis to provide greater rotational stability of the saddle.

It is apparent that the angular displacement of the saddle in either lateral direction relative to the length of the pedestal frame may be accomplished by defining the fulcrum means as points disposed on the ridges 100 at a level below the level of the journal axis. Expressed another way, each ridge would have a lower outwardly facing vertical planar surface and an upwardly and laterally inward sloping flat surface. The juncture of these two surfaces thereby defining, intermediate the vertical extent of the ridge, the fulcrum point. Accordingly, the flanges 87 and 88 would be provided with a pair of vertically extending wear surfaces disposed on their opposed inwardly facing surfaces.

Tilting of the journal saddle as herein described achieves lateral movement of the wheel and axle assembly beyond that generally obtainable by known design of twowheel railway truck art. Conventional clearances are on the order of approximately one-quarter of an inch to either side of the vertical center line of the frame. The total lateral movement possible in either direction, as a result of the subject invention, is approximately four times as great or about approximately one-inch. In addition, the friction mechanism also dampens the lateral movement of the wheel and axle assembly. Thus, the lateral impact force which would otherwise be transferred to the car body and lading is substantially reduced.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation and there is no intention of excluding such equivalents of the invention described or portions thereof as fall within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tracking two-wheel railway truck, comprising:

(A) a pedestal frame having an upper body portion adapted for mounting on a railway car with its length parallel to that of the car, and a pair of longitudinally spaced hollow guide columns co-depending therefrom defining therebetween a pedestal opening;

(B) a journal saddle having a base and a centrally located journal housing extending upwardly therefrom interposed in vertical guide relation and longitudinal spaced relation with said guide columns in said pedestal opening for housing the journal end of a wheel and axle assembly along a horizontal journal axis of fixed relation with said housing, said pedestal opening having a longitudinal dimension exceeding the longitudinal width of the housing so as to permit substantial angular motion capability of the axle and saddle assembly relative to the pedestal frame during curve negotiation;

(C) the frame and the saddle having vertically aligned upper and lower load support spring seats, respectively, in both fore and aft spaced relation with said columns and said housing;

(D) vertically reacting load support spring means disposed between said seats to support said frame relative to the saddle; and

(E) a cushion biased friction unit disposed between each of said columns and the housing for damping relative lateral movement and relative vertical movement of said saddle and said frame.

2. The railway truck of claim 1 wherein:

(A) said pedestal frame and said saddle having interconnecting restraining means restricting the vertical separation of the pedestal frame and the saddle.

3. The railway truck of claim 1 wherein said base comprises:

(A) a forearm and,

(B) an aft arm; and

said arms extend longitudinally in opposite directions from the journal housing in a horizontal plan p cer! below a plane containing the journal ax 4. The railway truck of claim 1 wherein:

(A) the upper and lower load support spring seats are spaced substantially from a vertical plane containing said journal axis so as to provide rotational stability of the saddle about said axis relative to said pedestal frame.

5. The railway truck of claim 1 wherein:

(A) a longitudinal central vertical plane of the pedestal frame contains the vertical axes of the spring means and the friction unit, and

(B) said spring means reacts with the saddle relative to said pedestal frame along said vertical axes.

6. The railway truck of claim 1 wherein the saddle and the pedestal frame comprise:

(A) cooperating pivotal and stop means to permit extended lateral motion of the axle assembly relative to the pedestal frame by a tilting movement of the saddle relative to the pedestal frame about an axis extending lengthwise of the frame.

7. The railway truck of claim 6 wherein:

(A) said spring means reacts along a longitudinal central vertical plane of the pedestal frame to urge the saddle and said frame to a neutral vertical alignment when out of said alignment.

8. The railway truck of claim 6 wherein:

(A) said pivotal axis is above said journal axis.

9. The railway truck of claim 1 wherein:

(A) said pedestal frame has:

(1) a side wall which is inboard with respect to an associated railway car; and

(2) an outboard side wall spaced laterally from said inboard side wall with said guide columns disposed therebetween;

(a) each guide column having an inclined wall disposed between said side walls which slopes away from said pedestal opening and defines, with said journal housing, a wedge chamber within each guide column; and

(3) the side frame comprises a friction shoe disposed in each of said chambers for engagement with said housing and said inclined wall,

(a) said inclined wall being disposed at a level disposing the center of frictional force applied to the housing above the level of said journal axis.

10. The railway truck of claim 1 wherein:

(A) the journal housing and guide columns comprise:

(a1) fulcrum means disposed at a level below the level of the journal axis permitting extended angular displacement of the saddle in either lateral direction from a longitudinal central vertical plane of the pedestal frame; and

(a2) said spring means have vertical axes normally contained in said central vertical plane at a neutral position of the saddle to vertically bias the saddle toward the neutral position relative to said pedestal from positions in either lateral direction from the neutral position.

11. The railway truck of claim 1 wherein: A. said journal housing has:

(1) a pair of longitudinally spaced, laterally extending vertical walls and a top wall defining an open region extending transversely of the side frame for receiving the journal end of the wheel and axle assembly; and

(2) a pair of vertically extending guide flanges disposed at each end of said region on the peripheral edges of said vertical housing walls extending longitudinally outward in opposite directions;

(a) the pair of flanges at each end of said region having parallel planar surfaces facing ina lateral direction toward corresponding surfaces on corresponding flanges at the other end of said region, said planar surfaces being disposed below a horizontal plane containing the journal axis;

(b) each pair of corresponding flanges at opposite ends of the region having inclined surfaces conmeeting with the upper ends of respective vertical surfaces of the flanges to define fulcrum points below said plane; and

(c) said inclined surfaces at one end of said region being divergent relative to those at the other end of said region.

12. The railway truck of claim 1 wherein:

(A) the longitudinally spaced relation between said journal housing and each guide column is approximately /8 of an inch so as to provide for horizontal angling of the axle relative to the longitudinal centerline of the railway car during curve negotiation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

H. BELTRAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A TRACKING TWO-WHEEL RAILWAY TRUCK, COMPRISING: (A) A PEDESTAL FRAME HAVING AN UPPER BODY PORTION ADAPTED FOR MOUNTING ON A RAILWAY CAR WITH ITS LENGTH PARALLEL TO THAT OF THE CAR, AND A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED HOLLOW GUIDE COLUMNS CO-DEPENDING THEREFROM DEFINING THEREBETWEEN A PEDESTAL OPENING; (B) A JOURNAL SADDLE HAVING A BASE AND A CENTRALLY LOCATED JOURNAL HOUSING EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM INTERPOSED IN VERTICAL GUIDE RELATION AND LONGITUDINAL SPACED RELATION WITH SAID GUIDE COLUMNS IN SAID PEDESTAL OPENING FOR HOUSING THE JOURNAL END OF A WHEEL AND AXLE ASSEMBLY ALONG A HORIZONTAL JOURNAL AXIS OF FIXED RELATION WITH SAID HOUSING, SAID PEDESTAL OPENING HAVING A LONGITUDINAL DIMENSION EXCEEDING THE LONGITUDINAL WIDTH OF THE HOUSING SO AS TO PERMIT SUBSTANTIAL ANGULAR MOTION CAPABILITY OF THE AXLE AND SADDLE ASSEMBLY RELATIVE TO THE PEDESTAL FRAME DURING CURVE NEGOTIATION; (C) THE FRAME AND THE SADDLE HAVING VERTICALLY ALIGNED UPPER AND LOWER LOAD SUPPORT SPRING SEATS, RESPECTIVELY, IN BOTH FORE AND AFT SPACED RELATION WITH SAID COLUMNS AND SAID HOUSING; (D) VERTICALLY REACTING LOAD SUPPORT SPRING MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID SEATS TO SUPPORT SAID FRAME RELATIVE TO THE SADDLE; AND (E) A CUSHION BIASED FRICTION UNIT DISPOSED BETWEEN EACH OF SAID COLUMNS AND THE HOUSING FOR DAMPING RELATIVE LATERAL MOVEMENT AND RELATIVE VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF SAID SADDLE AND SAID FRAME. 